My first encounter with kedgeree was at Nikau café in Wellington, New Zealand. A breakfast dish with smoked fish, rice and curry spices? It sounded intriguing, but I didn’t anticipate just how delicious it would be. In my house it’s not relegated to breakfast or brunch; I often knock it together as a quick dinner too. If you’re after a hypoallergenic version, check out this page on my former blog. Recently I switched out the basmati rice for cauliflower rice to add more vegetables into the mix. The result is rather tasty, if I do say so myself.
Recipe
Cauliflower rice kedgeree
Brunch, lunch or dinner? Kedgeree works for all three. And replacing the rice with cauliflower beefs up the nutrition.
Cauliflower rice kedgeree
Serves 4-6
- 1 x medium cauliflower
- 2 tsp x cumin seeds
- 2 tsp x coriander seeds
- A few decent knobs of organic butter, ghee or coconut oil
- 1 x leek, finely diced
- 1 x onion, finely diced
- 1 x thumb-size piece of root ginger, grated
- 2 x garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp x turmeric
- 2 tsp x curry powder
- 1 x chilli (optional, depending on how spicy you like things)
- 1 x smoked fish, filleted and flaked (mackerel or haddock is best), or you could use a few tins of MSC-certified tuna at a pinch
- Juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to season
- Eggs, one per person
- A few handfuls of fresh coriander
- A few handfuls of fresh parsley
Optional garnishes
- Diced cucumber (peeled is easier to digest)
- Probiotic yoghurt
- Pickles
Instructions
Remove the leaves and the thickest part of the stalk from the cauliflower. Break it up into florets and pulse in a food processor in batches, until it resembles grains of rice. If you don't have a food processor, a box grater will do the job.
Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil.
Heat a second large pan or pot over a medium heat and add the cumin and coriander seeds. Toast until fragrant, then remove and grind with a mortar and pestle. Set half of the mixture aside.
Melt a good knob of butter, ghee or coconut oil in the empty pan and add the leek and onion. Cook until soft, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
Add half of the toasted coriander and cumin mixture, as well as the turmeric, curry powder and chilli (if using). Cook until fragrant. Add another knob of your oil of choice if needed, then add the cauliflower rice and stir to combine. Cook until the cauliflower rice is slightly browned, letting it catch on the bottom of the pan now and then for texture. Remove from the heat, then add the flaked fish, stirring to combine.
Squeeze over the juice of a lemon, adding more if needed. Season with salt and pepper, going easy on the former as the fish will fulfil the role. Set the mixture aside while you get to work on the soft-boiled eggs.
Your pot of boiling water should be still going strong. Carefully lower in the eggs one at a time, then set the timer for 6.5 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop your herbs and sprinkle them over the kedgeree.
Once your eggs are done, run them under cold water and peel. Half each egg – they should be nice and soft in the centre.
Spoon the kedgeree into bowls, topping each with two egg halves and a sprinkling of the reserved cumin and coriander seeds, as well as any garnishes of choice and some extra salt and pepper, if you like.